by Edward Kennedy Ellington
It’s hard to find biographies that are well-written, and autobiographies tend to be even worse, but if I had to choose…well, you can’t beat the person’s own words.
This here is Duke Ellington’s autobiography, and I have to say he was truly a great person. Not so much for what he did, which was huge, but for what he was like as a person.
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by Bob Dylan
The first few chapters are incredible. The book takes you into the thought processes of a great artist and creative mind, just when he was becoming very successful and famous.
Then it kind of rambles. This is a book where you could skip parts that aren’t interesting and not miss anything. It’s also one of those books where you could open it to any page and get totally caught up in it. There are parts that are incredibly funny and there are sections where Bob Dylan is so honest about himself regarding his life and music, and his revelations contradict the popular myths and notions people have about him. The auto is definitely there in “autobiography.”
Chronicles: Volume One (Chronicles)
by Greg Palast
Guaranteed to blow your mind. This guy is a modern day hero fighting for justice. Every American should read this.
by Ashley Kahn
This is a very good book! It’s well-written and has a lot biograhical info and anecdotes but doesn’t read like a boring biography. And for the Coltrane fan, it has a lot of good quality photos! Nice companion to the Coltrane biography by Lewis Porter, or if you want just the highlights, read this book.
A Love Supreme: The Making of John Coltrane’s Masterpiece
by Michelle Mercer
The only biography of Wayne Shorter that I know of and it’s a good read. The most lasting impressions I have after reading this bio is how creative Wayne Shorter is in every aspect, not just in music. And my curiosity about buddhism is piqued. This incredible musician has experienced a lot of loss in his life. I want to give his current music another listen, as I did not get it the last time I heard it, but perhaps it requires more time.
